Automobile-lock.



I. MONEEGE.

AUTOMOBILE LOGK. APPLIQATION FILED 1120.9, 1911 WIMIMII emes IEvIN MdNEEcE, oF sT. Louis, MISSOURI.

AUTOMOBILE-Loox.

Application med December 9, 1911.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, IRVIN MCNEECE, a citizen'of the United States, and residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Locks, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to locking devices and particularly to locking devices for automobiles to prevent unauthorized operation thereof.

[t is often desirable tolock an automobile so as to prevent unauthorized persons from operating or tampering with the same. Such a lock should control the brake mechanisrnvso as to lock the brake vlever"in position with the brake applied, for if the speed controlling lever is only locked, the automobile can be moved to a place where the lock can be broken and removed. If however the automobile is locked by locking the brake in braked position, then it cannot be moved even though the engine and the speed controlling lever or clutch are left free to be operated.

Another advantage resulting from the application of the locking device to the brake mechanism, particularlv to the brake segment, is due to the fact that brake segments are substantially of uniform shape although of different sizes, whereas the segments, slots, guides, etc. for speed controllinglevers are varied. Moreover', brake segments vary in depth rather than thickness, since thesegments of different automobiles do/not vary more than one-sixteenth of an inch. rFhis peculiar uniform feature of brake segments enables a locking device to be constructed which will fit substantially all sizes and makes of automobiles.

One of the objects of this invention therefore is to construct a locking device which is arranged to be used with and placed on all sizes and makes of automobiles, and is arranged to adjust itself automatically to locked members of different sizes.

Another object is to construct a locking device which is adapted to positively embrace and engage the locked member, so that the fit will be close enough to prevent it from working loose, and for this purpose it is preferably constructed to engage the notches universally formed in brake lever segments.

Another object is to produce a locking device which will be simple` in construction,

Specification of Letterslatent.

4automobile brake Fig. 2 is a section v and more particularly to sive, 19 designates a bracket supporting the -r Serial N o. 664,862.

easy to manipulate, small slze; and furcompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an segment and lever and showing the locking device forming the subject matter of this invention applied thereto, on the line 2-2 Fig. 5, Flg. 3 is a section on the line 33 Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a bottom view of Patented Mar. 30, 1915. p

from the detail descriptlon' taken 1n connection with the ac- Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged section of a part of Fig. 2, Fig. 7 is a detail enlarged section on the line 7-7 Fig. 3Fig. 8 form of this invention applied to a brake segment having teeth or notches at the top instead of at the bottom, Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 Fig. 11, Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is a bottom View. of F ig.` 9, section of Fig. 9., l Referring to the accompanying drawing Figs. l to 7 incluusual. H slot guide 2O and the brake segment or rack bar 21. 'A speed controlling lever is shown/atA 22 and a brake lever at 23. rThe segment 21 is notched or toothed as shown at 24. The locking ject matter of this invention is shown at A Fig. l and comprises a lock casing having a stirrup adapted to be slipped over the brakesegment and embrace and engage the same. f-

The locking device having an end 26 and spaced from the end. The end and cross member are provided with square holes 28 adapted to receive the legs 29 and 30 of a comprises a casing 25 stirrup.

A locking plate 3l is located and guided between the end 26 and the member 27 and is provided with beveled teeth 32 adapted to engage beveled teeth 33 on the legs 29 and 30. The plate 31 is moved gagement with the stirrup spring 34, and is moved out of locking engagement by means of a pin 35 on the cyllnder 36 of a lock 37 engaging a slot in the plate 31. The leg 29 and the lower part of the leg 30 are square in crosssection, but the upper part of the leg 30 -is round as shown at 38 so that when the stirrup is and Fig. 12 is a detail a cross member 27 1s a view showing another into locking enby means of a ment, and

' adjustment, whereby dropped down as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3 the stirrup can be turned in the cas- 1ng. I p.

A plate 39 screwed to the top of the leg 30 limits the outward movement of the stirrup. The yoke of the stirrup has formed thereon a beveled tooth 40 adapted to engage the teeth on the brake segment. The end or. base 26 of the casing 25 is also provided with a similarly shaped tooth, but this tooth -41 is movable into and out of operative position. This tooth is pivoted in a recess in the end 26 and is normally moved outwardly by a spring 42, the outward movement being limitedl by coperating stops 43 on the tooth and casing end respectively.

v A keyhole guard 44 is provided for covering the keyhole when the key 45 is removed so as to prevent water from entering.

Fig. 1 shows the device applied to a brake segment. To apply the device the key 45 is manipulated to withdraw the locking plate from engagement with the legs lof the stirrup. The stirrup is thenv moved to dotted position Fig. 3. The device can now be slipped over the brake segment in front of the brake lever after this brake lever has been moved to braking position. The stirrup and casing can now be telescoped until the brake segment is embraced and engaged by the stirrup and the casing. As .the stirrup is moved into the casing the teeth on the legs will snap over the teeth 32 on the locking plate, and this locking plate will therefore firmly hold the stirrupin adjusted engaged position. When the locking device is in position, the tooth 40 will engage one of the notches 24 on the brake segthe device will therefore be held 4positively in position so as to positively retain the brake lever against movement. In case the notches 24 are on the upper face of the brake segment, the tooth 41 will come into play to engage upper face of the segment is smooth, the tooth 41 will move to inoperative position so as not to mar the segment. It will be noted that the stirrup is locked in all positions of arranged to embrace and engage brake segments of different sizes. The legs of the stirrup are uniformly spaced to form a narrow space therebetween. This-construction permits the device tio firmly and closely embrace and engage a lever segment.

. Sometimes a brake lever is moved forwardly to braking position. The notches or teeth will therefore be reversely positioned on the lbrake segment. This device is however so constructedthat it can engage and embrace segments and the teeth thereon irrespective of the position of the teeth. To apply the device to a`segment in which the teeth are arranged reversely from that shown in Fig. 1, the stirrup isv moved to dot- -inclusive show a tooth which the notches,`but if the` the locking device is -closely embrace a ted position Fig. 3, and this stirrup is then slippedon the brake segment from the inside or through the space between the brake segment and the adjacent bar of the H slot.

This requires that the stirrup and casing turn one on the other for which purpose the upper end 38 of the leg 30 is rounded as shown.

Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive show another form of this invention. The locking device Bis in this case provided with a stirrup in which one leg 30 is provided with a section 50 jointed thereto at 51. The construction and operation will beobvious Figs. 9 and 10. v"When the stirrup is moved to dotted position Fig. 10 the joint 51 will be outside of the casing so that the stirrup can be swung with respect to the casing for the purpose of applying the device to a brake segment. The construction is otherwise practically the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive. This construction results in a shortening of the device as a whole, enabling the whole device to be made smaller and more condensed. This condensed construction is further brought about by placing the'pins in the lock at the left instead of at the right side of the cylinder` 36, thereby enabling the stirrup to be brought closer to the cyli.-v ier. y

It is not necessary to provide the casing with a tooth, but this tooth may be omitted where the device is to be used with segment having teeth at its lower edge. Figs. 9 to 12 l is removably but is when attached connected thereto. The tooth generally designated by 52 is provided with dowel pins 53 fitting holes in the casing end to properly locate the tooth 52 in position. This tooth is rigidly secured in position by meansof a screw 54 passing throughthe tooth and into a tapped hole in the casing. With this construction theA tooth 52 may be applied or removed at pleasure, and also reversed with respect to the stirrup. Then theI device is to be used with an automobile having the upper segment edge toothed, the tooth 52 will be applied, but when the segment has teeth at its lower edge, the tooth 52 can be removed so that the upper smooth edge of the segment Vwill not be marred. This device is also therefore constructed to fit any size or type of segment.

As pointed out heretofore, brake segments for different automobiles vary only slightly in thickness. The legs 29 and 30 are there-I fore spaced apart such a distance as to segment of maximum thickness. This is found in practice to be about a quarter of an inch. After the stirrup is slipped on a segment and locked in position thereon, the lateral movement or play, even on the smallest segment, will be very slight. This is of great advantage for attached tothe casing, rigidly struction's,ftherefore, .a er the lock is notA- the following reason: The teeth 33 on the stirrup must be fairly coarse-so`as to possess sufficient strength in order that the segment teeth' may'not be stripped and the lock opened by inserting a tool between the lock casing and the brake segment. In view of the fact, therefore, that these teeth must necessarily'be coarse, there will necessarily be considerable vertical play of the lock on the segment. If, therefore, there is also considerable lateral play, it is possible lto swing the entire lock on the segment, thereby permitting it to be'moved along the segment, soas to release the brake' lever. In accordance with this invention, the stirrup is not only constructed so as to closely embrace the lever segment, therebyl limiting the lateral play, but the construction and arrangement of the stirrup with respect to `the casing is such that the stirrup may be slipped on a segment of substantially the same thickness as the space between the legs. -Thus, in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the stirrup canbe moved out 'of the casing until the distance between the end of the short leg 29 and the bottom of the casing is equal to the depth of the largest brake segment, so that the stirrup can be slipped on by a lateral movement. -It is therefore not necessary to space the legs apart a distance equalto 4the thickness of l,thel greatest segment plus thedistance between the face of the leg and the `constructions. Similarly, in the construction shown in Figs.- 8 to' 11 inclusive, the stirrup can also be slipped on a brake -segmentv of a thickness equal to the space be* afterthe stirrup is tween the stirrup legs,

moved out of the casin With these con- 1n position'on the segment, it cannot be J swung or otherwise moved to, such a posi.

tion as to loosen the grip of the device Aon the segment.'

. Itwill thus'be seen that this invention accomplishes its objects. A devic is constructed which is arranged to be used with a variety ofI brake segments having teeth the bottom or in anyf either. at the top or at 1011.- vThe device is, further arranged to outside lateral face of the casing as in prior l `adapt and adjust itself to brake segments of different sizes. Since the brake segment is engaged by a member engaging the teeth thereon, the device will be positively maintained in position to positively prevent `movement of the'brake bar. Not only'may this device be placed on a brake segment, but also on a pedal or lever forcontrolling the brake or any other suitable mechanism.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details ott-construction without departing from this invention, .and it is therefore to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the spleciic construction shown and described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A locking device for a lever having a I notched segment, comprising a lock caslng and a stirrup telescop'ng with said casing,

said stirrup being arranged with respect to' said casing and having its legs closely spaced, to laterally engage and embrace the segment and prevent lateral tipping` movement thereon, and said'stirrup and casing' the segment being adapted to closely hold therebetween, a toothon one of said rst two members adapted to engage the teeth on the segment when the device is in position thereon, said parts being adjustable to segments ofV different depths, and means for interlocking said members in engaged position on the segment. Y f

2. A locking device of the class described, comprising a lock casing, a stirrup mounted in said casing and ,movable therein to different positions, 4and a notch'engag'ing tooth mounted on one of saidv members and movable to operative and inoperativel positions. 3. A locking device of .the class described comprising a lock casing, a stirrup mounted 'in said casing and movable therein to differ ent positions and a reversible tooth mounted on one 'of said members.

In testlmon whereof I aiiix 1n presence o two wltnesses.

`IRVINl MGNEECE.

v Witnesses; l

l J. H. BRUNING'A, MARIE PAUCK,

my. signature 

